1. Beloved Community:
Faith, meet Politics. Politics, Faith.

2. SOMETIMES,
Unitarian Universalist
congregations act like
POLITICAL CLUBS
for activists or
social clubs
for the liberal like-minded.

3. Increasingly, however,
our congregations are acting
on a longing
to connect social change
and spiritual integrity.

4. THIS IS
A PARADIGM SHIFT

5. WHAT IS
A PARADIGM SHIFT
?

6. Remember
when
Europeans
thought the
Earth was
the center
of the
universe?

7. And along came
Copernicus with
Nope.
Not really.

8. A
PARADIGM
is a framework –
a way of
organizing
information and
experience
based on what
we think is true.

9. Until another
PARADIGM
shows up

10. we don’t even know we’re in one.

11. Many
Unitarian Universalists have
been operating from a
DOMINANT
PARADIGM
when it comes to engaging
social justice.

12. DOMINANT PARADIGM
Limits itself to
political views
and realities

13. DOMINANT PARADIGM
Divides the
world into US
and THEM…
…and the
purpose of
power is to
control THEM.

14. DOMINANT PARADIGM
Understands
human and
civil rights as
the basis for
social justice.

15. DOMINANT PARADIGM
resources
Puts things
at the center.
time
plans
analysis
tasks

16. DOMINANT PARADIGM
Sees issues as problems
to be solved.

17. DOMINANT PARADIGM
Reduces identity
to status or role.
OPPRESSORS
VICTIMS
ALLIES

18. DOMINANT PARADIGM
Tends to be
REACTIVE:
that is,
motivated
by and
motivating
through
anger or
fear.

19. DOMINANT PARADIGM
Engages
on
behalf of
other*
people.
* Read: poor, needy, wounded, broken, victimized people.

20. DOMINANT PARADIGM
Focuses on changing the world out there.

21. DOMINANT PARADIGM
Sees justice
as a system
of reward
and
punishment.

22. There’s nothing wrong with this
paradigm per se.

23. It’s just…well, limiting.

24. Why settle for paint by number…

25. when there’s a full color masterpiece?

26. Many already know:
another paradigm exists.

27. And with a
nod to
Josiah
Royce who
coined the
term…

28. and gratitude to Dr. King who
popularized it by word and deed

29. we call this alternative the

30.
BELOVED COMMUNITY
PARADIGM

31. For Dr. King, the
goal of the
Freedom
Movement was not
civil rights, but
BELOVED
COMMUNITY.

32. Of course civil rights matter –
but they are not the goal.

33. The goal is
(MLK)
“
“
…a
radical
redefini8on
of
our
rela8onships.

34. Increasingly, the
BELOVED COMMUNITY
PARADIGM
is emerging as a framework
for activists – even those who are
“not religious.”

35. Grace Lee Boggs,
a lifelong activist writes:
“…it has become increasingly
clear to me that King’s
prophetic vision [of
Beloved Community]
is now the
indispensable starting point
for 21st-century
revolutionaries.”
Author of
The Next American Revolution:
Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century

36. BELOVED COMMUNITY PARADIGM
Roots
itself
in
a
religious
/
spiritual
view
that
recognizes
poli8cal
reali8es

37. BELOVED COMMUNITY PARADIGM
There is only
us – ALL of us
…and the
purpose of
power is to
restore right
relationship.

38. BELOVED COMMUNITY PARADIGM
Right
relationship
- not rights form the
basis for
social
justice.

39. BELOVED COMMUNITY PARADIGM
Focuses more on relationships than on things.

40. BELOVED COMMUNITY PARADIGM
See issues as a way of life to be transformed.

41. BELOVED COMMUNITY PARADIGM
Recognizes that
social identity
shapes, but
does not limit,
who we are.
We are more
than our social
status, rank or
role.

42. BELOVED COMMUNITY PARADIGM
Is proactive: motivated by hope.

43. BELOVED COMMUNITY PARADIGM
"
If
you
have
come
here
to
help
me
you
are
was8ng
your
8me,
but
if
you
have
come
here
because
your
libera8on
is
bound
up
with
mine,
then
let
us
work
together."
Lilla
Watson,
Aboriginal
educator,
Brisbane,
Australia
Engages us for our own sake, too.

44. BELOVED COMMUNITY PARADIGM
Focuses on being the change we want to see.

45. BELOVED COMMUNITY PARADIGM
Understands
justice as
“love
correcting
everything
that stands
against
love.” (MLK)

46. DOMINANT PARADIGM
• Limits itself to political views and
realities
• Divides the world into “us” and
“them” and the purpose of power
is to control “them”
• “Rights” as the basis for social
justice
• Puts things at the center
• Issues are seen as problems to be
solved
• Reduces identity to status or role
• Reactive: driven by anger or fear
• Often understands this as for
“other” people
• Focuses on changing the world out
there
• Justice = a system of rewards and
punishments
BELOVED COMMUNITY
• Rooted in a religious or spiritual view
that recognizes political realities
• There is only us – all of us and the
purpose of power is to restore right
relationship
• “Right relationships” as the basis
• Puts relationships at the center
• Issues reflect a way of life to be
transformed
• Identity shapes us, but does not limit
who we are
• Proactive: motivated by hope
• Engages for one’s own sake, too
• Focuses on being the change we want
to see
• Justice = “Love correcting everything
that stands against love.” (MLK)

47. DOMINANT
PARADIGM
BELOVED
COMMUNITY

48. CONVERSATION WITH SELF
• What in what I’ve read here is most
important to me personally?
• What new questions do I have now?
• What actions might I take in my
congregation or community based
on this?